Snow-covered sidewalks push people to the road in Towson

People who don't shovel their sidewalks are subject to a $25 fine per day.

WMAR

Snow leads to problems along area sidewalks 2/18/14

WMAR

TOWSON, Md. - You need snow boots and strong ankles to get by on the sidewalks. It snowed overnight, but the piles are at least five days old.

We spent time today seeing how the blocked walkways are affecting people. It's like the game of chicken with cars on York Road. In many areas, the sidewalks are covered so people walking to work, the store, or the doctor are forced onto the road and cars naturally veer into the next lane.

"I was looking at the footprints on the snow, and I said not for me," said Anne Martien, who was dodging snowy sidewalks and choosing to walk on the road instead.

We took the problem to Baltimore County Code Enforcement.

"You got 24 hours after a snow storm to clear your sidewalks. Any property owner or business owner needs to do that to comply with the county code," said Jerry Chen, the coordinator for Baltimore County Code Enforcement.

Typically, the area in front of the home or business is the property owner's responsibility for shoveling the sidewalk.

Plenty of people either don't know the law or haven't taken the time to clear a walking path. In Baltimore County, Code Enforcement will respond to complaints if you call 410-887-3351. In fact, they’ll write tickets for $25 a day if a property owner doesn’t comply.